


Operation Bust

by LunaCeMore



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Anti-Hook, F/F, Femslash, First Kiss, Fluff and Angst, Headcanon, OTP Feels, Romance, Swan Queen - Freeform, Swen - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-31
Updated: 2017-01-30
Packaged: 2018-08-28 02:07:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 12,241
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8426743
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LunaCeMore/pseuds/LunaCeMore
Summary: Henry plays match maker between his mothers. Hook comes into play and causes a little havoc. Rated PG13 due to language, and depictions of same-sex kissing. Nothing graphic. Just fluffy Swen Awesomeness.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> A/N 2017: This update has been grammatical error fixes and layout design changes. NOTHING NEW HAS BEEN ADDED TO THIS STORY.
> 
> A/N: Hey guys, just a little fluffy to get you through the day. It is a tiny bit angsty, but it is mostly over will they/won't they. This is rated PG-13 over descriptions of same-sex kissing, but otherwise it is not graphic at all like any of my other works.
> 
>  
> 
> It is set post Cora but pre-Pan. As always I don't own these characters, I am just inspired (some say obsessed - those people can shut up) by Lana Parrilla's portrayal of Regina Mills. *perfection*
> 
> Be warned, tiny little chapters, keeping them under 2k ea

* * *

Life after the turmoil Cora brought to Storybrooke had faded, the town returned to its normal humdrum pace. Henry Mills made the decision to move back into his adoptive mother's home. She needed him more now than ever and after a few conversations with his birth mother about how much worse his life could have been, he decided that he owed Regina the benefit of the doubt. He could see she was trying to change her ways, and he understood, with the help of Emma, why she turned to the dark side when Cora arrived in Storybrooke.

" _No matter what she did, she did it because she was fighting to keep you Henry. She doesn't always make good decisions when it comes to trying to protect herself, and after meeting her mother, I suddenly understand exactly how she got that way. We all need to give her some slack and help her. All of us, have the potential to do bad things."_

" _Like Snow White killing Cora?"_

" _It wasn't that she killed Cora, she was protecting her family, but yeah, the decision she made to use Regina to do it, that was what made it bad."_

_Henry took in what his blonde mother was saying. "So you don't hate my mom anymore?"_

" _I never hated her Henry. She scared the shit out of me and… I kind of get defensive when I'm protecting myself, just like she does and I don't always make the right choices when that happens."_

" _So you like my mom?" he notices right away the blush that flushes her cheeks and her sudden loss for words. "So do you?" he pushes a little harder, just to gauge her reaction._

" _Yeah kid, I like Regina. I'm still scared to death of her though." She chuckles nervously at the truth._

Henry knew his blonde mother was in fact scared of his adoptive mother, for reasons beyond the fact the woman was the Evil Queen, had magic or was just plain vengeful. He had long talks with his mother before the curse was broken and knew she had just as many walls as his adoptive mother had when it came to putting herself out there. The woman was guarded and had severe abandonment issues, rightfully so or not, he knew if he wanted to get his mom's together, Regina's walls weren't the only walls that needed to come down.

He did want to get them together. It seemed so obvious to him and he felt like he did when he was the only one who believed in the curse. So like he did when he helped his birth mother break the curse, he created an Operation.

Henry moved back into the mayor's manor and started putting the effort into rebuilding his relationship with his mom. She had been devastated after the death of her own mother by her own hands and his presence, he felt, was sorely needed to keep the Evil Queen at bay.

" _Are you alright mom?"_

" _Yes darling."_

" _I'm happy to be home you know, I've missed you."_

" _You have?" The shock that flashed in his mother's eyes was heart-breaking to him._

" _Of course mom, but... I miss Emma though too." He saw her wrap her arms around her midsection, something she always did when she guarded herself._

He knew, or at least he suspected, that the brunette was, before the Cora thing, starting to truly like his birth mother. When Emma fell through the portal to the Enchanted Forest, Regina worked non-stop to find a way to get her back. And although she said, repeatedly, that it was for him, he had strong suspicions she had other motivations.

" _Are you still mad at her mom?" he asked cautiously noting her rigid stance._

" _I'm not mad at her Henry. We both…" she got distracted pulling at a string that hung off of her sleeve and he finished her thought, "You both made bad choices when Cora came to town. I know."_

" _We did." She said agreeing with his assessment._

" _So you still like her then?" he prodded gently. He instantly noticed the tinge of crimson that flushed his mother's cheeks, the same reaction his birth mother had when posed the same question._

" _Well I don't know about like… but I don't hate her…" she recovered quickly._

" _Would it be alright if I asked her to come over, you know, to see us?" he asked casually._

" _I suppose, if she wanted to visit with you, here, I wouldn't be opposed to it. She is your mother too…" she said casually._


	2. Chapter 2

Once he had it in his head that both of his mother's liked each other, much more than they were willing to admit, he decided that as their son, it was his job to help them see the truth. He also decided that his brunette mother would be much easier to crack than the battle scarred blonde, believe it or not, so he focused on her. Bringing his birth mother over often, getting them to spend time with one another really seemed to help his adoptive mother get over her fears a bit and he saw his chance to get in a good word for Emma.

He asked his mom to meet him down at Granny's for lunch that day. Today would be the day he brought up his new Operation. "So Mom, you know I want you to be happy right?"

"Of course. I want you to be happy too darling." She replied looking over her menu.

"I think Emma makes you happy." He said cautiously.

Her brown eyes flicked up to his smiling little face before returning to the menu. He continued, "I think you should ask her out."

"Henry…" she warned quietly.

"Hear me out. I see how you are with her, with the looks and the saving each other and stuff. I know she likes you too, mom."

"Did she... tell you that?" his adoptive mother put the menu down and he now had her full attention. He smiled and nodded his head. "She did." He watched as the brunette considered the information he had just provided. "But you can't just ask her out." This got a questioning raise of an eyebrow. "It's Emma mom." He answered her silent question as if that was all the explanation she would need. "She kind of gets panicky when things get too, permanent." She folded her hands on the table and stayed quiet, just taking in what her son was telling her. "She kinda had a hard time growing up, she doesn't give a chance for people to hurt her. So you can't just go in and ask her for a date."

"Do you think she'd even… I mean, I'm the Evil Queen, Henry, she's… you know… the Savior." Her eyes dropped to the table and she straightened out her suit jacket in an attempt to busy herself from the uncomfortable feelings that statement made her feel.

"You're not the Evil Queen, mom. Not anymore. Emma knows that." Regina twisted her mouth up to the side and bit her inner cheek. "She goes to the Rabbit Hole on Fridays." he said casually.

"She'll be lucky if she doesn't get hepatitis from that place." Regina snickered.

"She goes there to shoot pool, because it reminds her of Boston. She told me once it reminded her of the dive bars back home."

"Henry I'm more than a little concerned my 11 year old knows what a dive bar is. Remind me to discuss what is and what is not appropriate topics of conversation with Miss Swan." she pinched the bridge of her nose in irritation.

"Mom!" he rolls his eyes. "My _point_ is, she goes there because it makes her feel like she did before she was the Savior. It's kind of a lot of pressure for her, you know? The whole savior thing. She goes there to just be Emma again. I think it would be good for you to, I don't know, chill with her in her own environment." She looked at him and wondered who this young man was because he couldn't be her little boy.

"That was very astute of you Henry. You are growing up so fast darling."

"I know." he says with a wide smile. "So you should go down there tomorrow night and play pool with her."

"I doubt she'd appreciate me intruding on…"

"Mom…" Henry warned her, mimicking her own tone when she warns him. "Just trust me on this okay? Please?"

Regina bit her bottom lip and after a moment she nodded her head. "Okay."

It wasn't a date. She just happened to show up and oh look? ' _Miss Swan? Fancy meeting you here?'_

' _Fancy meeting you here?' no. will need to come up with a better line than that._ She sat staring blankly at the menu she was no longer reading over.

* * *

Neither Regina nor Henry noticed a man standing up from the booth behind mother and son, he walked away from the table and the conversation he just eavesdropped on. He climbed the stairs back up to the room he rented from Granny, his hook dragging up the wooden banister. _So the Evil Queen thinks she has a shot at the Savior does she? We'll see about that._

Captain Killian "Hook" Jones after unsuccessfully trying to seek his revenge had convinced the blonde haired savior to give him a job as one of her two deputies down at the station. The perks were good, he got to work closely with the savior and his fellow deputy, Ruby Lucas, she wasn't bad eye candy at all. He often considered what it would be like if he got both women drunk enough to play around of good cop/bad cop/naughty cop.

_Ah but Sheriff Swan, that could possibly be a sure thing. Her young son maybe on to something._

He picks up his duty belt and heads off to cover the afternoon shift and relieve Sheriff Swan from the morning. Entering into the building he sauntered over to his bos'ss office and leaned against the door jamb. "Swan!" he says loudly startling her from the report she was writing.

"Killian!" she said with annoyance. "You startled me."

"I apologize love, it is just about time for me to start my shift is all. What are you working on?"

"Reports for Gina, you've got yours done right?"

"I've got all afternoon to get it done, don't you worry." he said with a confident smile.

"Good because any shit I get, I give out double fold." she looked up pinning her green eyes upon him. "Didn't Ruby take you shopping? The leather suit is a little…"

"Distracting? Tempting? Captivating? Intriguing?" he supplied with a devilishly handsome smile.

"Much." she scoffed, "Seriously though it would put people more at ease if you didn't _look_ like a pirate."

"Why do I care if people are at ease? We are the harbingers of justice." he said with a twinkle in his eye.

"We are their protectors Killian, not their wardens." Emma shook her head.

"Well I'll see what I can do Swan, perhaps you care to help me blend into this strange world?" he said dragging his finger up the wooden door frame.

Emma took a deep breath, held it and let it out slowly. "And what would you have me do?"

"How about you let me come over to your place tomorrow night, and I cook you dinner?" he stepped closer and sat on the corner of her desk, forcing her to sit back in her chair.

"That isn't a good idea Killian. I'm your boss, this town maybe filled with storybook characters, but we still have policies to follow and one of those policies is no fraternization between a superior and their subordinates."

"No one mentioned Fraternization Swan, get your head out of the gutter lass, I'm simply looking for a home cooked meal, it has been dreadfully long since I've had anything but the swill from that eatery everyone in town seems to enjoy so much. If I had a kitchen in my room perhaps I wouldn't need to offer my vast culinary services to my superior…" he looks up at her and flashes sincerity in his baby blues. "A simple meal couldn't possibly be against your valued policies, now could it?" he pouts out his bottom lip and then goes in for the kill, "I've been trying so hard to let go of my vengeance and I could use a night where I'm not trapped in my little room at the inn thinking nothing but skinning crocodiles and such."

"Tomorrow is no good, I have... a thing I do." she quickly mumbles.

"Does this thing have a name? I'm terribly jealous Swan." he curls his lip up in an amused sneer.

"It isn't a who, it really is just a thing I do on Fridays. I go down to the pub and…"

"You mean to tell me there is a proper pub in this town and I've been getting Granny to serve my drinks for all these weeks? I'm truly hurt Swan, you owe it to me to show me around this elusive pub you speak of." Emma looks away, not really wanting to give into the man's persistence, but it would perhaps do to encourage his straight and narrow path he has obviously been trying to take these past few weeks, that was the whole point of having him join the sheriff's station to begin with, to keep an eye on the man after all.

"Alright, fine. Do you know how to play pool?"

"Of course I do!" he scoffed. "Perhaps I can teach you a thing or two love."

"Right. Well okay. I'll pick you up at the inn and we'll go…"

"The least you can do is allow me to cook for you love, to show my appreciation." he cut her off and she rolled her eyes a little, knowing she was going to seriously regret agreeing to this. "Fine, but I mean it Killian, this isn't at all a date, I take my job as Sheriff seriously, this is just a couple of coworkers getting out from behind the badge and showing you around town a little bit." She said crinkling her brow.

"Of course Sheriff Swan." he stood backing away from the desk he was perched upon and waved his hook to his forehead. "I'll come by around 6 after Ruby relieves me."

"Fine. Seriously finish up your paperwork so Gina doesn't tear a strip off of me." she points to his desk out in the bullpen. She watched him leave her office and she shakes her head.


	3. Chapter 3

Regina Mills stood in front of her body length mirror and checked over herself. She shook her head in disbelief at what was staring back at her. "I can't believe I let him talk me into this." She turned to the side and gave a little shoulder shrug at the sight of how the tight black skinny jeans formed to her ass. She ran her hands over the swell appreciatively. She turned back to face the front and started to tuck in the baseball jersey that has the word "Nirvana" written across it in bold white letters and a naked baby swimming towards a dollar bill on a fishing line in faded print.

"Don't tuck it in mom." Henry said behind her as he entered her bedroom.

"But…"

"Trust. Me." he said with a smile. "You look great. She likes your hair down so good choice." he commented as he rummaged through her jewelry box looking for a couple rings and the earrings he wanted her to wear. Regina turned to look at her son, "How do you know how she likes my hair?"

"She always compliments your hair when it is down." He said as he dug through the next box of trinkets and asked, "Where are the earrings I got for you two birthday's ago? They'll look good with what you have on." Regina pushed a bit of her hair from the side of her face and tucked it behind her ear. "These?" she asked with a smile. "Oh great! Yes! I knew they'd work good. Here put these on too."

"Well. You knew they'd work well, dear." she corrected as she takes the rings he handed her slipping them on their designated fingers.

"Whatever. You look great mom." The pride in himself shines so bright through the smile he shoots his mothers way. "You're makeup is perfect, you don't need all that gunk Mom, you're so pretty without it. She is going to love it."

"Thank you my prince." she pulled him in and kissed him on the forehead. "Really Henry, thank you for believing in me, i never would have done this on my own."

"I know. Both you and Emma deserve to be happy. I know this will work out, I can feel it. Operation Swan Dive is ago."

"Operation what?" she asks with a chuckle.

"Swan Dive. You know, because Emma _Swan_ , _dive_ bar. Get it?" he asked expectantly.

"Oh I get it." She laughed shaking her head.

* * *

As she suspected she instantly regretted agreeing to the dinner, Killian's vast culinary expertise was a wash in the modern kitchen and they ended up making something she had plenty of on hand, hamburger helper, something he needed help with.

Yet still, in true Swan fashion she tried to make the best of the situation and tried to not hurt the guy's feelings, it wasn't exactly his fault.

After dinner she drove them down to the Rabbit Hole and set her claim on the nearest table. She played the guy who currently had possession and easily won. It was something she did all the time back in Boston, shoot pool and she suspected she would need to go easy on her leather clad friend that evening.

"Why exactly did you have to play that gentleman before we could play?" He asked curiously.

"He owned the table." she explained. "I had to beat him to own it."

"He wasn't playing though." he watched as she racked up the balls swapping around the colored ceramic orbs with speed and accuracy of years playing this game.

"He still owned the table Hook, it is just how it is done." she said with a chuckle.

She ran the table a few games and consumed slightly more beer than what she normally would have. She laid down for a shot, lining up the 6 ball to bank it in the corner left pocket. She called out the shot and Killian backed into her and bent down to eye down her stick. "What are you doing?" she froze as his hand went over her hip. "Getting lessons from the master love, you are quite the player." he whispered into her ear. She smiled at him and spoke through gritted teeth. "Killian, I'm only going to tell you this once. Get your hand off my ass or you'll be known as Captain Para-Hooks."

His attention is drawn to the front room before he removed himself from her and stood. "My apologies Swan, it appears as though I may have consumed a bit too much of the local ale." Emma looked over his shoulder and thought she saw the Mayor storming out of the bar. "Regina?" she said aloud curiously.

_Something must be wrong if the Mayor was here, that woman wouldn't be caught dead down here._

_Was she wearing skinny jeans?_

"Regina!" she called out as the little brunette pushed her way through the front door. Emma trotted through the main room where the jukebox was blaring Journey and a single drunken couple swayed to the rhythm of the music.

Emma pushed through the screen door and looked around but didn't see the Benz, or the brunette anywhere.

_Maybe I didn't really see her, and if I did clearly the woman wasn't there to see me. Wishful thinking Swan._

Emma turned around to see Killian ordering another round at the bar. She walked up to him and told the tender to cancel the second of whatever it was he ordered. "Bad form Swan."

"Yeah well, I'm tired anyway. I don't come here to get drunk. Do you want a ride back to the Inn?"

"So we won't be going back to yours then?"

She laughed, "Yeah no."

"Then I believe I shall stay and partake in the local color." he said as he waved his good hand flamboyantly. He had come to win a game and he believed he had, if there was nothing more the blonde would have of him that evening, no sense killing the buzz he had going.

"As you wish Captain. I'll see you Sunday when I relieve your night shift." she said as she turned to leave. She can hear him immediately hitting on a little blonde at the bar and she rolled her eyes.

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Regina magicked herself from the front of the Rabbit Hole directly to her bedroom. Her eyes were stinging with angry tears, blurring her vision. She kicked off her knee high boots and pulled off her skinny jeans, kicking them over into the corner. She pulled off the Nirvana shirt Henry had bought her and balled it up and threw it at the pile of clothes that had accumulated on the other side of the room.

She stood in the center of her bedroom looking at herself in the full length mirror, standing in her bra and panty set. She squeezed her eyes closed as she recounted her disastrous evening.

She paced out front of the bar for several minutes gathering up the courage to go in. Emma's yellow bug was parked a few spaces down from where Regina materialized herself. She knew the blonde was in there. All she had to do was go in. As Henry had put it, 'It's chill, no pressure, just hanging out." but Regina felt pressure, a ton of it. She was anxious about putting herself in a situation where she could be rejected, but Henry had assured her, Emma had said… things… They had been spending more time with one another, outside of the Mayor/Sheriff capacity. Granted it was more in a co-parent capacity, but they had become much more friendly, and ever since Henry mentioned it the brunette had admitted noticing the lingering glances his birth mother would give her way. The amount of times she would look down at her lips while Regina was talking to her, the way she would laugh when Regina was being her sassy witty self.

_And… He said… Emma said.. she liked me…_

She rolled her eyes at the feeling of being a love sick teen, but steeled herself anyway and entered the establishment.

She looked around the loud bar that smelled of stale beer and moderate desperation and saw the yellow flash of Emma Swan's blonde mane leaning over a pool table. She pulled her shirt straight and gathered her confidence and walked back towards the game room. Just as she was about to cross the threshold of the back room the pirate came into view and pressed himself up against the savior who flashed a large white smile as his free hand, well, his good hand, slipped around her hip cupping her buttock.

Regina's entire world crashed down in that moment, her face flushed beet red as she realized she was about to crash a date. A date with that impossible disgusting pirate of all people! Her heart was thundering in her chest and tears of embarrassment and anger for allowing herself to get caught up in the fairy tale of her happy ending! She turned on her heel immediately and quickly walked from the heart wrenching scene she had just encountered.

Of course the Savior would never have feelings for her, she'd be with that traitorous pirate before she'd ever be with the Evil Queen! How foolish can one get?

Regina covered her face and turned away from the mirror and let the anguish of her self loathing wash over her. She crawled into bed without removing what little makeup she had on, or getting into proper pajamas. She just pulled her comforter up over herself and cried into her pillow.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can I get a 'god damn' for Regina in a Nirvana baseball jersey?  
> "God DAAAAAAAMNNNNN"  
> AND skinny jeans? Lu say it ain't so?
> 
> Oh no, I went there. You're welcome for the visual.


	4. Chapter 4

Henry had slept over his friend Hansel's house that Friday night allowing his mom to not worry about having to rush home because he was on his own. He noticed how quiet the house was, which was odd, his mother was a morning person and it was nearly 11 AM, he figured she was probably just up in her room. Still disturbed by the silence he trampled up the stairs and knocked on his mothers bedroom door. Without waiting for her to answer he poked his head in, surprised that the room was dark. The curtains were drawn and what little light that shown in from around the dark fabric he could make out his mothers small frame still in bed. His heart skipped as he thought perhaps he had intruded on a private adult thing between his moms' but then heard his mother sniffle. He looked harder and noticed she was indeed alone.

"Mom?" worry started to flood his senses as he walked around his mothers bed to see the tear stained mascara that had run down her cheeks. "What happened?"

"Operation Swan Dive was a bust. She is _not_ interested." his brunette mother mumbled with a sore gravelly grumble.

He shook his head and knit his brow in disbelief, "No, she is so, she said…"

"Henry…" his mother closed her eyes trying to keep back the ocean of hurt she was feeling at that moment in order to convince the boy his juvenile dreams of his mothers' being together wasn't going to happen.

"No! She IS your happy ending mom! and you are hers!"

"That is enough!" his mother snapped loudly. "The savior could never love the evil queen! You're wrong!"

"Mom… You're not…"

"Go. I want to be alone." she mumbled in a congested voice, rolled over and pulled the blanket over her head and Henry took the hint.

His heart broke as he heard his mothers' soft sobs while he closed the door behind himself. He went into his room, unsure of what else to do. He paced and re evaluated his blonde mothers' words. Unable to reason why Operation Swan Dive could have possibly failed he decided to go to the source. If his mom wouldn't tell him what happened, perhaps his birth mother would. He poked his head back into his moms' bedroom and asks permission to go to the park out back. She granted his request with a low grunt from under the blankets.

He of course got on his bike and headed down town toward his birth mothers' apartment.

Emma answered the door, her hair is disheveled and she is in a tee shirt and underwear. "Hey kid."

"Hey Emma, remind me to buy you a bathrobe for mothers day." he said as he pushed past her. He instantly saw the dishes in the sink and the glasses of wine from the night before. Two of them.

"Who was here?" he accused, not caring how blunt he was being. His mom was in pain and it was Emmas' fault.

"Killian came over and…"

"Hook? You were out with Hook? NO wonder! Oh you idiot!" he cut her off clearly pissed and stormed passed her back out the door before she got an explanation out of him or reassured him it wasn't a thing with the pirate, Henry stormed off leaving her stunned in the middle of her kitchen.

He returned home and rushed up the stairs to go comfort his mother, but when he entered the bedroom he saw she was up and dressed. She had a power suit on and a thick layer of makeup.

"Mom, I'm sorry. I didn't know Emma was a moron." he said in a weak pitiful little boy voice.

"Henry, no matter how much I agree with your assessment, I can't in good conscious allow you to call your other mother a moron."

He rushed over to her and hugged her. "You're not the Evil Queen, you're my mom and I love you!"

She returned his embrace coolly, still feeling like the broken mess she was before. "Will you be alright for a couple of hours? David has called a meeting that I have to attend." the little boy nodded against her midsection and then pulled away from her.

* * *

Emma Swan siat at the conference table next to her two deputies, Hook choosing to sit closer than she was entirely comfortable with and Ruby across from the pair on the other side.

She saw her sons' mother enter the quickly crowding conference room and she called out a friendly greeting. "Hey Gina!" she said with a dimpled smile. She noted immediately the womans' power armor was on that afternoon, and despite the massive amount of makeup she had painted on, Emma noticed her red puffy eyes immediately. Her smile fell as she got a cold "Miss Swan." in acknowledgement. Her brow knitted up in confusion, thinking back over the last few days if she had done something wrong, but came up empty. She was brought out of her contemplation by her fathers' voice starting their meeting.

She could barely pay attention to what was going on as Killian kept leaning in and whispering things to her during the meeting, comments about the subject matter, and the people around the table. She finally whispered back to him telling him to clamp it or she was going to clamp it for him. He chuckled and she missed the look he shot in Reginas' direction completely. In defeat he stretched his arm around the back of her chair and settled down to listen to what people were talking about.

It was painful, but finally over and they got up to adjourn the meeting. Regina, much to Emmas' dismay, was one of the first to make it out the door. She on the other hand, got stuck behind the shuffle and next to Killian who had the gall to ask her out again.

"Killian.." she warned, "Just stop." and before he could continue his persistent advances she slipped through the crowd and was out the door. She turned the corner that led to the elevators out of the building but turned the other way and headed down to the mayors' office. She knocked on the door and opened it before Regina gave her permission.

The mayor was leaning over her desk shuffling paperwork into a briefcase. "Hey Regina? Are you alright?" she asked as she walked closer to the Mayor.

"How I am is of no concern to you Miss Swan." the curt answer surprised the blonde and she immediately goes on the defensive.

"Oh so we are back to Miss Swan are we?"

"Yes well, I am your boss, am I not?"

"Well yeah, sorta I guess…"

"Well as your boss I choose to keep our relationship professional." the brunette lifted her chin regally crossing her hands over her midsection defensively and pinning the blonde with a fiery stare. She made the decision that she couldn't very well tell the savior what was the actual problem so she chose to nitpick about something insignificant and laid into the Sheriff over proper managerial procedures ending finally with "If you can't handle your subordinates in a professional capacity, I'm sure we can find someone who can!"

Emma opens her mouth to say something in response to the extensive chastising she just received, but had no idea where to even start. She wanted to bark back at the mayor and ask her if she needed a midol, but the look in those dark eyes was pain and Emma refrained from saying anything that she would later regret.

"Have your pet deputy turn in his weekly report on my desk by Monday morning or he can go get a job down at the docks and put that hook of his to good use gutting fish!"

"My pet deputy?" Emma shakes her head in disbelief, "Hook didn't do his report? Damn it, I'm sorry Regina, I reminded him, but…"

"Monday Sheriff. Good day." the mayor said dismissing the blonde.

"Regina…" Emma tried once more but the mayor was over the conversation.

"I said good day!" the warning that flashed across her face was enough for Emma to take the hint and she quietly left the mayors office.

 


	5. Chapter 5

After the blowout Regina had at the sheriff she was not in the mood for anything domestic by the time she got home and asked Henry if he would mind getting take out from Granny's. "I don't wish to stay there dear, but I don't wish to cook either."

Henry was accommodating, he felt guilty for pushing her towards his birth mother, "Sure mom, whatever you want." he looked up at her with apologetic eyes then ran to gather his shoes to go.

When the Mills family entered the diner Henry saw his grandparents and asked his mother if he could go say hi. She granted him permission, "I still don't wish to stay though Henry." she warned and he reassured her as he trotted off to spend time with Snow and David.

Regina closed her eyes in annoyance as she smelled the cologne of the pirate before she saw him in her peripheral sitting down next to her at the counter.

He flashed his dashing smile her way flaunting his victory. "So how was your evening your royal highness?" Regina promptly ignored him, but of course he persisted in needling the queen. "Well since you've asked, I myself, had a fantastic evening. The sheriff was so kind as to show me around town. She showed me things… I showed her things… it was quite a night."

"What do you want pirate?" she asked, her annoyance dripping from her lips.

"Well I wanted to just thank you since it was your boy who gave me the idea on how to court his mother." the sly smile crossed his lips as his words sank into the brunette, "His real mother that is." he adds watching the queen cringe.

"You overheard Henry and I?" she didn't need to ask, she knew he had. He shrugged his shoulders noncommittally.

"You don't even care for her you snake, this was about what, hurting me?" she demanded quietly trying to not draw attention to them in the busy diner.

"Don't be so full of yourself, of course I care for Swan! What gets me giddy is you thinking she could ever be interested in you, your royal pain in the ass." he said smugly.

Regina turned her head and a single tear defies her and escapes over the apple of her cheek. She quickly brushed it away before the pirate could see and steeled her jaw against his sharp words.

Ruby overheard part of the conversation Mayor Mills and Deputy Jones was having, she quietly watched as Regina's demeanor shifted. She was a little shocked her friend would date the pirate, and a little annoyed because he seemed to be using it to hurt the mayor. She brought over Regina's take out and handed it to the mayor giving the brunette her much desired escape.

"I'll be sure to give Emma your… I mean, _my_ love... your majesty." he smiled wide as he watched her collect her son from his grandparents and stormed out of the diner.

* * *

Sunday morning her shift went quickly, she dug through Deputy Jones' non existent filing system looking for the missing paperwork she needed to finish up his reports for the mayor. She clearly couldn't trust him to do it so she took it upon herself to complete them, she would deal with his carelessness after Regina was off her back. She hadn't seen the mayor that angry with her in quite some time and it honestly put her off her game.

Ruby walked into the station 15 minutes later than her shift had started and when Emma gave her their good natured shit about it the tall brunette snapped at her, "Well I thought we threw out the rule book!" she snarks back at the blonde and turns a cold shoulder to walk over to her desk leaving Emma in a state of shock.

That was the straw that broke the Swan's back, "Why the hell is everyone treating me like the town asshole?!"

"Well I didn't realize that the policing policy only applied to deputies who weren't banging the Sheriff!" Emma shook her head and thought the brunette was coming on to her, "Rubes, I mean it's not like I've never thought about it before, but I'm your boss now, I wouldn't break policy for friends with benefits, no matter how hot I think you are."

The response Emma got was unexpected, Ruby crinkled up her nose and let out a disgusted "Ew!" and then frowned, thinking about it for a few seconds then got grossed out all over again. "Ew Emma! Wait, did you just say you've thought about it? With ME? EW! EMMA?! I'm your godmother and shit!" she shook her head and started rummaging through her bag then stopped as the realization crossed her, "Wait, you won't break policy for me, but you will for that… that… PIRATE?!" Ruby demanded loudly.

"What?! NO!"

"So you didn't go out with him?"

"He didn't know where the Rabbit Hole was, I took him down there and left him there after kicking his braggy ass at pool."

"That isn't the way he made it sound, all romantic dinners and playing doctor…"

"He told you that?" Emma asked embarrassed and angry.

"No, I overheard him bragging last night at the diner." Ruby said quietly, seeing her friend was honestly shocked and she felt a little bad for believing the pirate over her gut.

"Oh god! Which of his swarmy friends did he tell this to?" Emma rolled her eyes kicking herself for trusting the guy.

"None, he told the Mayor." Ruby said quietly. Emma was silent as her mouth dropped open taking in the information being provided.

"Regina?" her brown knit into a tight knot across her forehead and she swallowed thickly, "Why?" her voice cracked and she cleared her throat and asked again, "Why would he tell her that?"

"I don't know! She seemed pretty upset about it though." Ruby didn't get her entire sentence out before Emma turned on her heels and marched out of the station.

Rubes muttered under her breath, "Dude you fucked with the wrong savior pirate." and she chuckled to herself.

 


	6. Chapter 6

Emma pounded on the door of Killian's inn room urgently. "Killian? Open up!" she shouted through the door. He was obviously asleep when he came to the door standing in nothing but his boxer shorts with a picture of Bart Simpson on them saying 'Eat my shorts!'

"Did you tell my boss that we were… dating?" she shook her head at what she wanted to ask but decided to downplay it while she was in a relatively public place.

"I'm sorry love, what was that now?" his crooked pirate smile told her everything she needed to know.

"You son of a bitch! Dude I tried to give you real chance at turning your life around and this is how you repay me? Dicking around with my job? Poking your nose in where it doesn't belong?!"

"I'm sorry Swan, if our dear queen mistook what was said that simply isn't my fault."

"So both Regina AND Deputy Lucas mistook you?"

He thought about it and then nodded, "It appears as though they have." he crinkled his nose up and shrugged, "Women."

"Seriously?" she looked at him exasperated at his gall.

"Alright fine but her royal evil bitchiness deserved…" Emma surprised the man to silence by giving him a left hook to the eye. (Pun intended)

"Dude you're done. You're fired, and if I ever see you near my _family_ again you will sincerely regret it." White swirls of magic pooled in her eyes as her anger grew. His own eyes grew wide with surprise as he had no idea the savior had magic. She stormed away from the room as he slammed the door.

"Fuck!" she screamed in her own head as she headed out through the diner intending on driving straight to the mayor's manor when she heard Henry's confused voice. "Mom?"

His eyes narrow as he scrutinizes his blonde birth mother, his brow pulls tight and his voice grows cold as he realizes where she was coming from. "You were here to see _him_? Emma! What are you doing?" he practically shouts. He decided answers needed to be had, she wasn't behaving how he thought she would and he wanted to understand why.

"Hook uh… lied about some stuff and I came here to confront him." she looked around realizing practically every eye in the room was on them. She put her arm around his shoulder and tried to guide him back to the counter where he was sitting before. He pushed her arm off him visibly angry and wanted her to feel it. "You really hurt her Emma! Do you know how long it took me to get her to agree to ask you out?"

"You're mom… wait, what?" she cocked her head to the side like a dog listening to a high pitched noise.

"Why are you dating Hook?" he demanded. " _She_ is your happy ending Emma! And you are _hers_!" his eyes started to water in frustration and thick tears leaked out over his cheeks.

"Henry, I'm not dating Hook." she scrunched up her nose in disgust.

"But, you had dinner with him and I know she saw you two because now she thinks you don't want to date her!"

"Your mom wants to… uh… date... me?" she asks with surprise and hope.

"She did… before Friday." he said softly.

"What happened Friday?" She asked.

His expression was contrite, "I talked her into going down to the Rabbit Hole to try and get to know you, you know, like who you were before the savior."

"She was there to see me." she whispered. Emma closed her eyes as the memory of Hook leaning over her on the pool table and the sight of Regina storming out of the bar burned bright in her mind's eye.

Her young son nodded sadly. She fought back watery tears and looked away.

_She was willing to go somewhere she abhors to simply get to know me better. The real me._

"Fuck." she whispered forgetting there was an 11 year old standing in front of her. Her green eyes focus on his hazel ones and she apologized for her language. "I need to go talk to your mom, I need to fix this." He grabbed her arm as she tried to leave and pulled her back shaking his head. "You can't just ask her now. She won't hear you."

"I'll just explain. It was just a big misunderstanding..."

"It won't work. Trust me. Her walls are back up Emma. Her drawbridge is pulled up, the moat is filled and her walls are impenetrable." He sighed and drummed his little fingers on the top of the counter as he thought. "Operation Castle Siege." He said with a twinkle in his eyes.

"What now?" she chuckled at her son.

He sighed again and explained himself. "She put her walls back up, hard after Friday. We need a way to get her to drop her drawbridge so you can get inside her castle."

Emma blushed a little bit at the double meaning of what her son just said, but thankfully he was blissfully unaware.

"So okay, how do I fix this?"

"First you need to go buy flowers. Roses. White."

"Aren't red roses used for romantic gestures?" she asked skeptically.

"Red roses remind her of her mother." he said with a look that made her feel like he thought she was dumb.

"Right." she said and bit the inside of her cheek.

"You need to leave one where she can find it. Like by the car or something, all over the place, but don't leave notes, just flowers." he said with consideration. "Then you need to casually just bump into her all over town."

"I'm pretty sure that is stalking kid."

"That's wooing mom."

"There is a fine line."

"She needs to feel wanted Emma. Mom has never had that, not since her first love. She put herself out there Friday, and I have never seen her so upset."

"Why didn't you tell me?" she asked. "About her, you know, meeting me down at the 'Hole?"

"Honestly, I didn't think you were ready. I thought you'd see it as a commitment and run for the hills." he said sheepishly, keeping his eyes down.

Emma thought about it for a moment and although she wanted to argue about his assessment of her habit to run from commitment like it was a plague, she knew he had a point, so she didn't argue. "Is that what she wants? Or is that what _you_ want?" Emma asked the question that was bothering her from the start of this conversation with her son.

"Well it is what I want, but I know she likes you and you said you like her, I just know that if you two could just get over yourselves for a half a second, we could be a family." His eyes were everywhere but looking up at his blonde mother's face.

"Henry," she lifted his chin in order to force him to meet her gaze. "you know no matter what happens between your mom and me, we both love you very much. We will always be your family."

"I know." he said honestly. "I'm around you guy's when you are apart, and I'm around you guy's when you are together. You're both happier when you two are together." he said with conviction. "So Operation Castle Siege?" he said hopefully.

"Is a go kiddo." she said as she tussled his hair.

 


	7. Chapter 7

She started Operation Castle Siege by buying a half dozen white long stem roses and started, as per Henry's instruction, leaving them all over town where Regina Mills would find them.

The first one she left inside the woman's mailbox. This first one Henry knew about and was watching from his curtain closed window as his mother's surprised face turned into a furrowed brow and down turned lips into a deep frown. She looked up and down the street before walking back into the house. She broke the rose in half and stuffed it away in the garbage before her son came barreling down the stairs. He looks around and doesn't see the rose he knew she found and then made up some excuse to run back up the stairs.

**Henry: She doesn't have it.**

**Emma: She got it, I saw her.**

**Henry: I know, so did I**

**Emma: Don't let her catch you snooping**

**Henry: she didn't!**

**Emma: she probably tossed it.**

**Emma: This is a bad idea kid, I think we should rethink it.**

**Henry: Mom! trust me. this is only the first one.**

**Henry: She probably thinks it got put in the wrong box or something.**

**Emma shook her head.**

**Henry: I'm going to see if we can get Granny's for dinner. Meet us there.**

**Henry: but don't "meet" us there ;)**

**Emma: Alright but if she puts a restraining order against me, I'm the law, I'll have to comply.**

**Henry: Emma!**

**Emma: cu l8r**

He put his phone back to charge an ran to go ask his mom about dinner. He put on his best convincing argument, knowing full well she didn't feel like cooking anyway, she was easy to crack with a tiny bit of effort put into his pout.

"You're the best mom ever!" he cried as he ran up to change his clothes.

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Emma did casually make her presence known to the mayor and their son by bringing her mother and father out for dinner. They shared a booth next to the table where Henry and Regina sat. Some time during the awkward-ish meal Emma excused herself to the ladies room and ducked out the back. She placed a white rose on the hood of Regina's car and returned back as if nothing had happened.

Once dinner was complete and Regina sat the minimum amount of time that was customary to be polite she made an excuse and she and Henry left to go home. She saw the rose immediately and looked around the empty street for the perpetrator.

"Henry. Did you leave this here?" she asked looking at him with scrutiny.

"No mom. On my allowance you'd be lucky to get carnations." he smiled brightly and she lifted an eyebrow at him. "That is a pretty flower though." he said as he pulled open his side of the car and got in. She opened her car door and tossed the flower in the back seat. She had her broody face on so he didn't question the flower further. This was a gentle nudge. She couldn't be pushed too fast.

_The pirate is messing with me._ She concluded.

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The next flower she found wasn't for another full 24 hours and it was on the elevator at work. It was after a public forum meeting half the town had shown up for. She knew it had been for her so she took it and disposed of it in the waste bin outside. She shook her head as she was no closer to finding who the imbecile that had been leaving these infuriating flowers all over the place for her even was.

On her way home she saw her son's blonde mother standing outside of the sheriff's station. Not doing anything in particular as she approached, however as soon as the green eyes recognized the vehicle her phone went up to her ear as if she were on it.

_Smooth Swan._ Emma snickered as she saw the brunette's head turn in her direction as she passed by.

Okay a little stalkery. As she climbed into her beetle and drove herself home.

**Emma: Henry, she is on her way home.**

**Henry: Roger that. the pkg has been delivered.**

**Emma: she is going to start tripping soon**

**Henry: it'll be fine Emma**

**Emma: just… don't let her get all batty**

**Henry: ur still coming over 2nite rite?**

**Emma: Affirmative.**

Emma had planned on taking Hook's newly finished paperwork and giving it to the mayor during the day, but Henry convinced her to stop by the manor, giving him an excuse to ask if she could stay for dinner. She decided that if she saw any true discomfort in her friend she would decline the offer, no matter how much she 'trusts' her son, she didn't want to push the woman too hard.

Regina got out of her vehicle and strutted to the door looking down at her phone. Another white rose lay across the front porch of her home. This was getting ridiculous. She had chosen to ignore the gestures she had first written off as a mistake, but now could no longer deny that she was the intended target.

_Target of what exactly._ Is what she wanted to know. She twisted the now all too familiar white rose between her fingers as she contemplated who it could be who was… whatever it was they were doing, _mostly annoying her_ , and carried it into her house.

She was in the kitchen when the doorbell rang out and Henry bounded down the stairs to answer it. Regina suddenly panicked a little and came rushing out into the foyer as the boy pulled open the door revealing his blonde mother standing awkwardly on the porch holding a file.

"Hey kid!" she said with a wink. "Is your mom…" the question trailed off as the green eyes fixated on the brunette who was walking confidently towards them. "Hey R'gina. I.. uh.." Emma faltered her thought as the stony cold mask of the mayor covered her son's mothers face completely.

"I brought you uh… the missing reports." she finished. Henry turned to ask the question and she coughed and shook her head at him hoping he would get the message. He did, but he still pleaded with his hazel eyes, but she stayed firm.

Now was not the time.

"I was in the office today. You were in the office today. It is inappropriate for you to bring classified town related documents to my home Sheriff." She took the folder from the blonde anyway, but her displeasure was known loud and clear.

"Sorry. Alright. See you later Henry." she looked at him and he had his little boy disappointed face on, but she knew the mayor was in no mood. Perhaps they took this flower business a tad too far. The woman was clearly upset with her, she felt like if she could just explain, it would shed light on the matter. However, her highly intelligent son had been correct about his adoptive mother. She wasn't ready. The woman who had been Emma's friend, wasn't home. She had been hurt and was hiding out. The tyrannical Mayor was running things and it may take something drastic to get the woman to open up.

The next morning she got a text from Henry.

**Henry: Dry cleaners this afternoon 12:40.**

**Henry: it is time to reassert yourself back into her life Emma.**

**Emma: Henry… I don't think that is a good idea.**

**Henry: you promised to trust me. she was stressed out last night.**

**Henry: you were right.**

**Henry: but now, i'm right about this.**

**Henry: casual bump**.

Emma rolled her eyes and dug through her clothes and grabbed a couple pairs of jeans and a tee shirt. She didn't dry clean things, she had no idea what the hell to pick so she figured it ought to be something she would actually have worn.

Just as Henry had said, Regina rolled her Rolls into the parking lot of Pressing Matters dry cleaners. Emma ducked out and laid a white rose on the roof of the mayors car and then followed her into the shop. She grabbed the door before Regina could reach out for it as the mayor had been looking down distracted by her phone as she walked.

"Madam Mayor." Emma greeted with a smile. Regina looked shocked for a moment before composing herself and slipped her mask back on. "Sheriff Swan. What are you doing here?" she asked before she saw the bundle of clothing the blonde was carrying.

"It is a dry cleaners, Regina." Emma laughed and stood behind her in line. Regina tried to go back to looking at her emails but was put off by the Sheriff's presence. Here. Now. It struck her a little off and she scrutinized the woman's clothing.

"You are dry cleaning jeans and tee shirts?" Regina scoffed haughtily. Emma smiled, _at least if she is lording over me, she is talking to me. This is something we can do. This is something we DO do._ Emma thought "Yeah well, they are my favorite jeans. They make my ass pop. Gotta keep the money maker lookin fine." Regina blushed and turned back to her phone. Shortly the blonde behind the counter called her forward and she deposited her dry cleaning and completed her transaction.

"Good day, Sheriff." Regina said as she concluded her transaction and exited the establishment. Emma smirked. "Good day Madam Mayor."

Emma watched as the mayor ran over to her vehicle and looked wildly around for her secret admirer.

She chuckled a little as the mayor stomped her foot and huffed into her vehicle and drove back to work. Emma took the receipt for her clothes that she hadn't really needed to drop off and strutted back out to her vehicle.

**Emma: She is going to be mad when she finds out it was me**

**Henry: She will be impressed that you went through the effort**

**Emma: My money is on mad**

**Henry: trust me. She doesn't think she is** _**worth** _ **the effort.**

**Henry: she'll be happy.**

**Emma: Alright but I've only got one more left.**

**Henry: put it in her office tonight**

Emma called her son and as soon as he answered she starts telling him how bad of an idea this is. "She is going to freak out if someone breaks into her office Henry!"

" _Someone_ isn't breaking in, you are. She'll get over it in the long term."

"It is the short term I'm kinda worrying myself over kid."

"Mom. Just do it. Don't forget to mention what we talked about when she calls you about it."

Emma grumbles and rolls her eyes. _This is such a_ _ **bad**_ _idea!_ "FINE!" she huffs shaking her head.

 


	8. Chapter 8

 

 

 

Emma answered the Sheriff's station line early the next morning knowing exactly who it was and what they were calling about.

"Sheriff, there has been a break in at City Hall. I require your assistance." The mayor's stressed voice rang clear over the phone and Emma closed her eyes and shook her head. _Such a BAD idea._ "I'll be right there Madam Mayor."

Emma came into the Mayor's office some 7 minutes later and listened as Regina went over how the break in occurred. Emma pulled out a notebook, you know, to seem like she was doing her job and asked several stock questions about what was missing, how the scene was found, etc.

"Nothing is missing."

"Nothing?" Emma parroted knowingly.

"No. Something was left."

Emma lifted her eyebrows at the brunette and allowed her to continue.

"A white rose." Regina lightly blushed and Emma couldn't help but smile.

"It started off a silly prank, but breaking into the mayors office is a serious crime." Emma's eyes got large as she realized the full extent of what she had done.

"I want you to dust for prints. The person, or persons behind this couldn't be smart enough to wear gloves." Emma furrowed her brow as she realized that had been a far too true statement as she had not worn gloves during the break in. She went out and got her little fingerprint dusting kit out of the cruiser anyway and made the effort.

"I want this matter taken seriously Sheriff, I think I may have a stalker."

Emma swallowed hard at the term the Mayor chose to use. "A _stalker_ , Regina?"

"These stupid flowers have been found all over. At my home, Emma. I'm worried about their intent. I'm worried about Henry."

"Maybe someone just, you know, likes you. It doesn't have to be bad."

Regina shook her head in disbelief. "No one likes the Evil Queen, Emma."

Emma looked up from her work and tried to catch the mayor's eye. Regina was looking everywhere but at Emma. "You're not the Evil Queen, Regina." she said seriously. Regina humphed her response and Emma continued. "I'll take this matter very seriously."

As she worked she chatted up the mayor. "So I, uh... fired Killian Jones." Emma said without making eye contact.

"Oh?" the brunette tried to sound uninterested. "Whatever for dear?"

"Deputy Lucas heard him telling… people… lying to them… about the nature of his and my relationship." Emma said cautiously. She didn't want the mayor to know she knew that Regina was the "people" who had been lied to.

That was part of the plan and a major stipulation from her son.

"He… lied?" Regina took to shuffling papers on her desk in a nonsensical fashion.

"Oh yeah, I tried to be a good boss, I took him down to the Rabbit Hole, help him get out of his room, you know? He made a pass at me, some of his buddies saw it and didn't hear me threaten him, thought that we were, you know… and he totally told them… that was the case."

Regina stood perfectly still and Emma could see out of her peripheral vision the cogs turning into place within the brunette.

"That and insubordination. I specifically told him to get his paperwork in on time and he lied and said he did it. I'm sorry about that by the way. I know you hate it when the paperwork is late."

"Yes well. You got it to me, that is… all that matters." Regina said stiffly. "Are you alright here Sheriff, I'm… I'm… I need to go, I mean I have some other business to attend to. I trust you can lock up, and clean up when you are done?"

"Sure Regina." Emma said with a smile.

**Emma: Done and done. she left though. I think Operation Castle Siege is a bust kid.**

**Henry: she needs time to think.**

**Henry: the lunar eclipse is tomorrow night. did you ask her?**

Emma paused before answering. She lost her nerve and hadn't mentioned the second part of their son's diabolical plan. Her phone rang and of course it was Henry.

"No. I didn't ask her. Castle Siege is totally a bust, she thinks she has a stalker, I don't know why I let you talk me into doing this." Emma started to panic and paced in the mayor's office.

"It's okay Emma, we can use this. Just set up the picnic like we planned and then call her and tell her you found evidence she needs to see regarding her mystery flower person." Emma was quiet on the line and Henry continues, "She comes out there and you tell her it's you."

"I don't know Henry, she was pretty upset about the break in, I think I went too far."

"Jesus will one of you guys please just get over yourself and see the truth already?" He exclaimed, "I'm 11! And I can see how happy she is with you! And how you light up when she enters the room!"

Thinking to what Regina had said about how no one could like the Evil Queen, that statement broke her heart. Maybe the kid was right. Emma grumbled, "Okay fine."

Henry's little boy voice laughs heartily over the line. "What is so funny?" Emma asked accusingly.

"Operation Castle Siege is SO not a bust. Mom just texted me about Hook being a liar and asked what she should do."

Emma's heart quickened at the confirmation that Regina was actually interested. "Okay I'll go set up the site."

"Good luck mom." Henry said knowing she didn't need luck. Not when she had him.

* * *

Emma ran around town and gathered up the supplies she would need. She lugged out the telescope and set out the blanket. She pulled out the 3 dozen roses, she purchased from A Game of Thorns and meticulously cropped their heads and set them into the ground making a beautiful fragrant layer that surrounded the blanket. She stood back and double checked everything, it was quite romantic. Henry was going to make some lucky girl very happy one day she thought to herself as she walked back to her car on the side of the road and initiated the next part of the plan by calling Regina.

"Hey, so I found something about your mystery admirer. I need you to come and see it." Emma said when Regina answered the phone.

Regina grumbled as she retrieved the location from the Sheriff and hung up the phone.

"Henry?" she called up the stairs.

"Yeah?" he came to the balcony and looked down at his mom knowingly.

"Will you be alright? I need to run out but I'll be back before dinner."

"I'm good! See you later mom!" He held onto his wicked smile until she was out of sight then went back to his room and called his Grandmother to come pick him up.

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Regina pulled in behind the yellow bug and watched for a moment as Emma looked up from her phone and a wide smile crossed the savior's face.

_That woman is infuriatingly beautiful._ Regina thought as she got out of her own vehicle. They were literally in the middle of nowhere and it was starting to get dark quick. She was concerned about what the Sheriff had found and couldn't even venture a guess as to what it was.

"Hi." Emma greeted.

"Well? What is this break in the case that pulled me from my home and our son?" Regina tried to add an air of irritation to her tone she just hadn't felt. She missed the savior. The week that had passed was dreadfully dull and her absence was painfully noticed by the mayor.

"Follow me." Emma said with a tone of all business.

They walked away from the road and through a cluster of trees until they came upon a small clearing. There were white roses all over and a blanket. The area was lit with paper tea lights that gave the place a really romantic feel.

"I don't want to question your detective work Sheriff, but how the hell did you find this?" Regina said wide eyed as she took in the area.

"It was easy actually, because i set it up." Emma said plainly.

"What? Why?" Regina ripped her eyes away from the romantic scene before them to look at the savior with honest confusion in her eyes.

"I thought we could have some dinner and watch the lunar eclipse together." Emma held out a small bouquet of the white roses she had been leaving for the mayor. "Shall we?"

Regina stumbled in obvious shock, "Henry… I uh.. need to…" she started to back away from the sheriff slowly as her mind started to click the pieces in place.

"My parents picked him up 15 minutes ago and are keeping him overnight." Emma said with a tiny smile. Regina straightened up, but stopped moving towards the road. "That was very presumptuous of you Miss Swan." Her lips drawn out into a snarky smile.

"Uh, no… I mean… I just thought.. " Emma blushed a beautiful shade of red but then composed herself as she realized Regina was teasing. "So we uh… didn't have to rush."

Regina took the offered flowers and brought them up to take in their fragrance. Emma smiled wide and took that as a step in the right direction.

"So what's for dinner Miss Swan?" Regina asked as Emma guided her over to the blanket.

Emma knelt down on the blanket next to the basket of stuff she brought with her. She was nervous and it showed. Regina settled down on the other side and tried to make small talk.

"So you broke into my office?" her dark eyes pinned to the blonde who stopped pulling out their meal for a moment, sheer terror crossed her face.

"Yeah, I know, it was a bad idea, I'd say I'm sorry, but you are here so, I'm not." Emma said not looking at the mayor as she finished up what she was busying herself doing.

Emma's phone alerted her to an incoming text message, followed by several more. She tried to ignore it, knowing full well it was Henry.

"I presume that is our scheming son?" Regina asked with a smirk. Emma took out her phone to confirm and nodded her head.

"Well, put his mind at ease dear, his plan to get his mother's on a date has been an astounding success."

**Henry: Well?**

**Henry: Is she there yet?**

**Henry: What happened?**

**Henry: Mom?**

Emma smiled at her son's excited texts and as she went to answer him quickly, she heard Regina's "mom" voice.

"Henry, you went through all the trouble of setting this up, the least you can do is allow us to enjoy this beautiful dinner in peace." When Emma looked up her eyes caught the dark stare pinning her in place.

"Uh huh, you too darling, enjoy your night with the Charmings dear." she said and disconnected the call. "No more interruptions. Now, shall we?" a bright toothy smile shined through red lips as she watched the gapping look of her date. Emma settled down a bit after that and they enjoyed their meal and talked like they never had before, both suddenly trusting that each of them were there and not rejecting each other.

Emma's alarm went off during one of her own ramblings, "Oh! The eclipse! I didn't realize it was so soon!" she exclaimed honestly. Time felt like it had stood still as she sat there with her son's mother.

Regina took charge of setting up the telescope for the best view and Emma was more concerned with watching Regina do, well pretty much anything at that point. She was completely mesmerized by the woman.

"Look! It is starting!" Regina said excitedly stepping back and allowing the blonde to take a look down the scope.

"That is cool." Emma said as she stood back up quickly then tried to step back as she realized Regina was much closer to her than she was when she stooped down to view the moon. Regina took a step closer and bit her bottom lip nervously.

"Emma…" she breathed the word and the savior had never loved the way her name sounded better than when it passed over those lips. Those lips that were getting much closer than they ever had before. Emma shivered and Regina reached out with one hand grabbing Emma's wrist, guiding her hand around Regina's waist. With her other hand she slipped it up behind the savior's neck and pulled the woman into a tentative kiss. As soon as their lips met, Emma melted and pulled the woman closer, pouring heat behind the closed mouth kiss they shared in the pitch black night.

Regina's right hand slipped out from behind the saviors neck, dragging her nails over her flesh to cup her cheek. She broke the fevered kiss and spoke, "This was very nice Emma. I never knew you were such a romantic."

"There is a lot about me you don't know Regina, I hope…" she pauses and swallows nervously, "I hope you stick around to find out more."

"I am definitely interested." Regina replied with a sexy smile. "But we should probably go."

Emma could see the sincerity in the woman's eyes, but knew she was right. They turned and packed up the picnic and headed back to the car. Regina helped by loading the telescope into the back seat of Emma's bug. She stood up and dusted her hands off, turning into the savior who was suddenly right behind her. Emma kissed her hard, pushing her back against the vehicle. Regina groaned into the kiss and ran her tongue against the saviors warm lips seeking entrance to the womans mouth. Emma groaned herself and what was just lips became much more intimate. Emma cupped the sides of Regina's head and tore herself away, "Come home with me." she asked breathlessly.

"Miss Swan, I am a Queen. I do not give it up on the first date!" Regina said mock offended.

"No, I mean…" Emma stumbled on her words, "I don't want to let you go yet… Come back to my place and we can watch a movie and have a good old fashion platonic hang out."

Regina saw the sincerity in the woman's green eyes and decided she didn't want to let the blonde go yet either. "Only if we watch the temple of doom, and you lose the platonic part of your invitation." she stated firmly.

"You like Indie?" Emma asked astounded.

"You'll find there is much about me that you don't know either. You'll find i have impeccable taste, Miss Swan."

* * *

They return to Emma's apartment and settled down on the couch for some Flix n Chill; Emma made popcorn and they both discussed the finer points of the film. As the movie wore on the two got closer together on the couch and by the end Emma's arm was wrapped around Regina who was in turn leaning into the blonde.

As the credits rolled, Regina turned to Emma and asked, "I would like to accompany you to the Rabbit Hole. I'd like to be apart of who you are, outside of all this savior business." She placed her hand over Emma's who had made it's way up the brunette's thigh.

"Is that why you were there last week?"

"Henry told you." Regina's cheeks pinkened lightly as the truth of her embarrassment came to light.

"No, I saw you."

"You s-saw?" what was a light pink turned a deep red and she looked away from the intensity of the green eyes watching her.

"I ran after you."

Regina flicked a doubtful look up from under her dark eyelashes.

"You were gone by the time I got outside. If I had known you were there to see me, i would have gone after you."

"Really?"

Emma smiled and nodded, "Oh yeah." she said in a husky voice. Regina leaned into her and kissed her, letting go of her insecurities and letting her just feel the connection she had with this woman.

"Will you wear those skinny jeans you wore last week?" Emma asked when the brunette broke her embrace.

"Anything you want dear." Regina chuckled and nodded.

 


End file.
